The present invention relates to a system for interpreting a stated problem and providing educational goals or objectives related to the problem as well as guidelines to support decision-making and tests for evaluation.
In the past computer assisted instruction (CAI) systems have been developed which present fixed material or data which is displayed on a screen or printed out. Typically such material is displayed on the screen or printed as a result of a direct request for such information. Other more advanced CAI systems flexibly respond to a user's reply and answers with data and follow-up questions presented on the display.
In the artificial intelligence field much work has been done in connection with the computer diagnosis of problems. Thus, for example, in the medical field an artificial intelligence system would receive as input, patient symptoms and based on this input, attempt to determine the underlying problem. Because these systems must reason about the problem and guess what kind of information is required to diagnose the underlying problem, these programs have been adapted to "teach" by explaining why it is providing certain answers or responses. These programs may also teach by comparing what a student suggests ought to be done with what the system calculates ought to be done. These systems can then try to describe to the learner any differences in choices based on a comparison between the student's suggested solution and the solution calculated by the computer.
None of these systems, however, provides the capability of actually simulating a knowledgeable instructor which can interpret a problem and determine what information or subject matter area a user needs to master. It accordingly is an object of the present invention to provide an improved system for enhancing and directing students or users in the process of learning about any given subject matter area.